After quite a few requests for this recipe, following a recent post ‘A day in the EATING life of a Nutritionist’, I have decided to share with you the super simple, family-friendly recipe that will have everyone finishing their meal down to the last lentil!

At the heart of every clean eating recipe I create and share with my clients are two things:

1. IS IT BUSY-FRIENDLY
   (meaning is every single person who feels as they don’t ever have enough time to cook, going to get this meal on the table in around 30 minutes)
2. IS IT EVERYONE-FRIENDLY
   (meaning will their partner/fussy toddler/in-laws eat it and surprise themselves by enjoying it!)

If those two boxes are ticked.. It makes the cut. Why would I ask a patient to buy ingredients they can’t pronounce (and Quinoa doesn’t count!!) or to spend 3 hours in the kitchen when they have hectic family and social lives like the rest of us? Whether you’re feeding one or a family of five, this dish is perfect as leftovers keep really well and the addition of extra steamed greens can bulk it out to calm the masses.

It’s a one pan wonder, with the vegetables really interchangeable with whatever you need to use up in the crisper… Capsicum, pumpkin, zucchini, eggplant or even sliced corn fresh from the cob are all welcome additions, just cook them off with the onion for a few minutes before adding the stock, quinoa and lentils. If you want to go totally authentic, raid your spice cupboard and get creative with ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, fennel seeds… The curry paste option is just the side-step into the no fuss zone.

I am yet to meet anyone who doesn’t LOVE this recipe! The photo is courtesy of one of my clients who cooked this dish for her family of five (who added brown for extra oomph) and I was told it was a hit and is going to be a welcome addition alongside the regular weekly favourites! So please enjoy this tasty, Autumn perfect recipe next time you feel inspired to try something new!

INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN, LENTIL AND QUINOA PILAF – serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 free-range chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons of Indian Curry paste of your choice (Rogan Josh, Tikka, Korma, Massaman)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1 cup of organic green lentils (or red/brown)
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• ½ bunch chopped coriander
• 1 bunch English spinach, chopped
• Coconut yoghurt to serve

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the coconut oil and ½ tablespoon of the curry paste over a high heat in a deep, heavy based saucepan, add half of the chicken and cook, turning occasionally for 5 minutes or until just browned. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken and another ½ tablespoon of curry paste.

With as much oil left in the pan as possible and the chicken still aside, add the onion, mushroom and garlic and cook stirring for 5 minutes until the onion softens, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of curry paste and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.

Then add the quinoa, lentils, stock and return the chicken to the pan, bringing everything to the boil. Then reduce the heat to low, and cook covered, for 20 minutes or until liquid is mostly absorbed and the lentils have lost their ‘bite’.

Remove from the heat, add spinach, coriander, season with salt and pepper if required and gently toss to combine, until the spinach wilts. Spoon the pilaf into bowls, top with a dollop of coconut yoghurt and extra coriander leaves to garnish.

Courtney Clark
Naturopath & Nutritionist

…using nature to nurture life… xx